Beware the Black Serpent
by Anne Goshawk
Summary: Hermione finds herself being drug across the front lawn in a towel late at night. Her friends are unable to assist her. She fears she is the victim of a soon to be murder. Please R/R!! Chapter 3 is up. Tell me how ya like it :)
1. Abducted

Chapter 3  
Uncloaking Mystery  
  
"Ron, wake up."  
"Wha...Where am I?"  
"The hospital wing. Ron open your eyes." Said the deep voice Ron was sure he recognized. He opened his eyes and saw a face that was all to familiar,  
"Sirius!" Ron yelled.  
"Shhh. I can't stay long. I tried to wake Harry but he's out cold. Your friend and sister, Hermione and Ginny, have been taken hostage. I don't know who has abducted them.  
"Why didn't you just save them then?"  
"That's just it. I would have but I felt something there. Something I don't want to be with." Sirius looked better. He was not so skinny and he looked several years younger. His eyes were a pure, refreshing green. His face was not as sunken in and no longer had a waxy appearance but a smooth one instead.  
"I know they need me, but I'm not an experienced wizard."  
"True, it would be hard for you alone or even you and Harry would run into trouble I expect." Sirius sat for a moment and then a grin appeared on his face.   
"I know how to solve your problems, but for now I need to tell you other things." For the next 20 minutes Sirius explained to Ron where the girls were. He had even taken the liberty to get Harry's invisibility cloak out of his trunk and gave it to Ron. This was so when Ron got to the girls they could all three make a clean getaway.  
"Now then, I must go," Sirius said somberly. He whistled and Buckbeak arrived at the window. He hovered there while Sirius climbed through the window and onto his back.  
"Good luck, Ron," Sirius called and with that he was gone. Ron climbed out of bed, grabbed his wand and headed to the door. Ron put on the invisibility cloak. At a desk was Madame Pomfrey, asleep. Her mouth was wide open and was emitting a terrible snoring sound whilst a string of drool hung from her chin. Ron crept by and out into the hall. He was home free. Then Ron's stomach wrenched. What was Sirius's idea? Who was going to help him?  
This didn't stop Ron though. He knew he had to save his sister and, Ron sighed blushing a little, Hermione. He pictured her brown hair and wide grin. This motivated him even more. He continued walking. He arrived at the Great Oak doors. He pushed them open and the night air engulfed him.   
He stepped onto the damp grass. No sooner had he done this when a voice came from behind him,  
"You must be Ron." The voice said. Ron spun around and stared in awe at what stood behind him. A stag of seemingly white fog stood there regal and noble. Ron knew who it was.   
"Hello, Mr. Potter." The stag nodded.  
"Sirius told me you needed help."  
"Harry said you didn't talk when he saw you."  
"I was in the form of a patronus then and now I am a memory. A strong one at that. The stronger the memory the more unlimited my abilities. Now, back to your mission."  
"Yeah, what are we going to do?"  
"You get the girls while I distract Malfoy and it."  
"It?"  
"Yes, the presence Sirius was telling me about. Apparently Sirius id not immune to it, but I am being a memory and all."  
"What is the presence?"  
"I'm not sure unless it's what I fear it will be."  
"What's that?"  
"Well, I doubt it is anyway, so no need to trouble you to." Ron just nodded and they began towards the Forbidden Forest not knowing what would await them. 


	2. The Serpent's Affection

Chapter 2:  
The Serpent's Affection  
  
"Malfoy!" Hermione gasped.  
"Yes, Granger."  
"So that must mean that those two are..."  
"Correct again, Crabbe and Goyle."  
"But why did you want me?"  
"Actually, I didn't and it is my apologizes."  
"Then who did you want?" Hermione questioned. Malfoy didn't answer. He was now focused on Crabbe and Goyle.  
"You two told me you knew what Ginny looked like. Leave that here and find the right person this time." Malfoy growled.   
"They wanted Ginny!" Hermione silently told herself. She had to do something,  
"NO!" She screamed, "You leave Ginny alone!"  
"Shut up!" Malfoy growled and he kicked Hermione in the side. She moaned with pain and rolled over onto her side.  
"Go now!" Malfoy ordered and with that the two started up the lawns toward the castle.  
"What do you want with Ginny?" Hermione breathed still clutching her side and shaking violently.   
"You will soon see," Malfoy sneered, "and here, put this on." Malfoy handed Hermione her nightgown. She started to leave to change when Malfoy stopped her,  
"Where are you going?" He stared at her suspiciously.  
"I'm going to change," Hermione said as if the answer was obvious.  
"Your not leaving my sites, oh no." Malfoy ordered rather than said. She looked at him suspiciously.  
"Unless you want to stay in a wet towel all night. I'll turn around." Malfoy did as he had said. Hermione dropped her towel and put her nightgown on quickly.  
"OK," She muttered. Malfoy turned around.  
***  
15 minutes later Crabbe and Goyle returned holding a bound and gagged Ginny. Hermione saw unmistakable fear in her eyes as they brought her towards Malfoy. When she saw Hermione she appeared to relax for a minute. Crabbe and Goyle set her down.  
"You may go," Malfoy said waving them off. They started up the lawn to the castle.  
"Untie her!" Malfoy ordered Hermione. Hermione rushed over to and took out her gag.   
"It's OK," Hermione reassured Ginny.  
"Oh Hermione..." Ginny burst out.  
"Silence," Malfoy growled. Ginny stopped talking and Hermione continued to untie her. Once she was done Malfoy walked up to Ginny.  
"Oh Ginny," He said suddenly looking soft, "kiss me." He cupped her chin in his hands and leaned in his mouth slightly open. Ginny raised her hand and smacked Malfoy, leaving a bright red mark on his cheek.   
"Stupid fool!" He whispered dangerously. He moved his hand to her arms and squeezed them, digging his nails in and causing her arms to bleed.   
"You will stay in the forest tonight," he growled and showed them a spot that was semi sheltered and told them that was to be their bed tonight. They laid down and saw Malfoy go to a tent 20 feet away.  
"Don't even think about trying to escape," he sneered, "I will find you." Hermione laid close to Ginny and covered them with her now dry towel. Ginny's arms weren't bleeding as badly and Hermione made sure they stopped before she relaxed.  
She lay there and thought. Where had the warmth she had felt earlier gone? Her sense of security had vanished as well. She shuddered against the cold of the night and moved closer to Ginny. What would they do? Hermione remembered how tired she was and yawned. In 10 minutes Hermione was fast asleep.  
Hermione was so tired that she didn't even notice a cloaked figure sweep past their camp. 


	3. Uncloaking Mystery

Chapter 3  
Uncloaking Mystery  
  
"Ron, wake up."  
"Wha...Where am I?"  
"The hospital wing. Ron open your eyes." Said the deep voice Ron was sure he recognized. He opened his eyes and saw a face that was all to familiar,  
"Sirius!" Ron yelled.  
"Shhh. I can't stay long. I tried to wake Harry but he's out cold. Your friend and sister, Hermione and Ginny, have been taken hostage. I don't know who has abducted them.  
"Why didn't you just save them then?"  
"That's just it. I would have but I felt something there. Something I don't want to be with." Sirius looked better. He was not so skinny and he looked several years younger. His eyes were a pure, refreshing green. His face was not as sunken in and no longer had a waxy appearance but a smooth one instead.  
"I know they need me, but I'm not an experienced wizard."  
"True, it would be hard for you alone or even you and Harry would run into trouble I expect." Sirius sat for a moment and then a grin appeared on his face.   
"I know how to solve your problems, but for now I need to tell you other things." For the next 20 minutes Sirius explained to Ron where the girls were. He had even taken the liberty to get Harry's invisibility cloak out of his trunk and gave it to Ron. This was so when Ron got to the girls they could all three make a clean getaway.  
"Now then, I must go," Sirius said somberly. He whistled and Buckbeak arrived at the window. He hovered there while Sirius climbed through the window and onto his back.  
"Good luck, Ron," Sirius called and with that he was gone. Ron climbed out of bed, grabbed his wand and headed to the door. Ron put on the invisibility cloak. At a desk was Madame Pomfrey, asleep. Her mouth was wide open and was emitting a terrible snoring sound whilst a string of drool hung from her chin. Ron crept by and out into the hall. He was home free. Then Ron's stomach wrenched. What was Sirius's idea? Who was going to help him?  
This didn't stop Ron though. He knew he had to save his sister and, Ron sighed blushing a little, Hermione. He pictured her brown hair and wide grin. This motivated him even more. He continued walking. He arrived at the Great Oak doors. He pushed them open and the night air engulfed him.   
He stepped onto the damp grass. No sooner had he done this when a voice came from behind him,  
"You must be Ron." The voice said. Ron spun around and stared in awe at what stood behind him. A stag of seemingly white fog stood there regal and noble. Ron knew who it was.   
"Hello, Mr. Potter." The stag nodded.  
"Sirius told me you needed help."  
"Harry said you didn't talk when he saw you."  
"I was in the form of a patronus then and now I am a memory. A strong one at that. The stronger the memory the more unlimited my abilities. Now, back to your mission."  
"Yeah, what are we going to do?"  
"You get the girls while I distract Malfoy and it."  
"It?"  
"Yes, the presence Sirius was telling me about. Apparently Sirius is not immune to it, but I am being a memory and all."  
"What is the presence?"  
"I'm not sure unless it's what I fear it will be."  
"What's that?"  
"Well, I doubt it is anyway, so no need to trouble you to." Ron just nodded and they began towards the Forbidden Forest not knowing what would await them. 


End file.
